Redundancy. It’s one of those dreaded words that employees shriek at when they think of the term — and rightfully so. The only upside to redundancy is at least you get paid out. That’s if you’ve been at your company for one year — for those who haven’t, they’re at a loss for income.

So, let’s just call it for what it is. Redundancies are sh!t. Plain and simple. They can cause anxiety, stress, and even depression if a person finds themselves victim of the decision. Over the past few years, being let go has, unfortunately, become a frequent occurrence in the office, with companies allowing more of their staff to be made redundant.

If you’re finding this situation all too familiar, we understand how much of a crappy setback this can be. But we’ve got to say that some of the most successful people have been made redundant giving them the motivation to build their own businesses from the ground up. Sounds reassuring right?

Whether you expected the redundancy or not, it’s undoubtedly a tough time to persevere through feeling as if you’re useless. If you haven’t already try considering your redundancy as a blessing in disguise: it wasn’t rejection; it was redirection — cheesy, we know but we couldn’t resist putting it in.

JDP is here to help you through both the good and tough times by providing tips on how to bounce back from your redundancy. We’ve summarised the main points we discussed in our Tips & Tricks: How to bounce back from a redundancy video which you can find over on our JDP YouTube channel.

1. Refocus your mindset

Try not to take your redundancy as a personal attack. Yeah, yeah, easier said than done, we get it but it’s important that you don’t fall victim to the self-pity trap. We also know it might be hard to swallow — more like a stab to the ego — but at the end of the day, it was a business decision, not a personal one. If you take a step back and re-evaluate the situation, you might understand that it isn’t a reflection of you and your work but rather a decision that had to be made where finance was the deciding factor.

2. Take stock

Although it’s important to ensure you have your financial runaway planned, it’s equally important to schedule time for yourself. Devote time during your day to do what you love, what you find fun, and you’ll figure out soon enough that you’ll feel 100 times better. Whether that’s just longing on the couch and binge watching a new series (the new Jeffrey Dahmer Netflix thriller — if you find watching disturbing shows fun), going for a jog, or eating your feelings away, do what makes you feel happy. Clearing your head by doing the things you enjoy will see you much, much happier.

3. Stay connected

Don’t forget about the people who support you the most. Stay connected or reconnect with the people in your life who are genuinely supportive of you — and ditch the fake kind. This could be your friends, past colleagues, and family members (they’ll also keep you from going off the rails and losing your mind).

4. Up-skill

If you’ve been made redundant, the most productive thing you can do is spend your free time upskilling. Don’t sit around and feel sorry for yourself (even though that feels like the easiest thing to do) but utilise this time to expand and enhance your industry skills. By upskilling, you can confidently walk into future interviews knowing new information that could set you apart from the other candidates. Get ahead of the game by having the upper hand — after all, knowledge is power.

5. Practice interviewing

Prepare for your future interviews by practising what to say to make yourself appear as a standout candidate. When it’s time to interview, don’t be hesitant to bring up your redundancy. Companies will need to know why you left your past employer and what the circumstances were, so it’s better to get it all out on the table ASAP. The best advice we can give you in this instance is not to lie! Don’t fall into that trap. And remember, redundancy doesn’t mean you’re incompetent; it simply means there were financial issues with your last company — end of story.

6. Engage

Start getting out there again. Reach out and connect with people in your industry to see what potential jobs are currently circulating or get in touch with us at JDP! We’re more than happy to have a chat and discuss work prospects, whether that be over the phone, via video chat, or in person over a cup of coffee. Don’t hesitate; we’re just one phone call away.